A FAMILY who found a half ton millstone in their garden has donated it to replace the one stolen at a windmill.

The Jack and Jill Windmill in Hassocks had five of its centuries old millstones stolen in February last year but has now had one of them replaced thanks to a donation from the Bradley family – Michael, Lucy, Archie and Holly.

The family from Hurstpierpoint discovered the intact massive stone buried in their garden after moving a sun dial.

Michael Bradley, 35, a Starbucks franchisee, said: “It was in the way of the cricket pitch we were making for my son. I thought it was a hunk of concrete but when we moved the sundial it revealed it was a millstone. It had to have been there for hundreds of years and sunk.”

Mr Bradley rung the windmill and offered to donate it with the help of Parker Building Supplies, which provided the equipment to the move the giant millstone.

He said: “I never realised how intriguing the windmill was. I run past it three times a week and it is only when you go inside you see it.”

The stone was moved to the windmill yesterday and will now be used as a learning tool at the site.